𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔸𝕕𝕞𝕚𝕣𝕒𝕝'𝕤 𝔻𝕒𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕖𝕣: ℤ𝕦𝕜𝕠 𝕩 𝕆𝕔

Chapter 13- Zuko and Nico

The couple had been traveling for nearly a week now, they ran out of food and water by the sixth day and haven't spoken to each other for a day or two after they had recently had a stupid fight.

Nico and Zuko would switch off on riding the ostrich. Nico would steer at night as Zuko tried to get some rest, which he barley did, and Zuko would steer at the daytime, while Nico slept.

The two stopped at a village. Nico locked eyes with a group of Earth Kingdom soldiers.

Zuko hopped off the horse to approach the merchant as Nico stayed on the horse.

"Can I get some water, a bag of feed, and something hot to eat?"

Nico noticed two boys, throw an egg at the group of soldiers.

The kids quickly ran away.

"Hey!" The soldier called out to Zuko. "You throwing eggs at us, stranger?"

Nico hopped off the ostrich and stood next to Zuko. "No." She replies.

"You see who did throw it?" The soldier asked.

"No." Zuko responded.

"That your favorite word? No. The egg had to come from somewhere."

"Maybe a chicken flew over." Nico sarcastically responded.

One of the guards laughed.

The leader snatched the bag of feed from Zuko's arms.

"Thanks for your contribution. The army appreciates your support. Can I get a bag of your girlfriend too." The soldier laughed, walking away. "You better leave this town, penalty for staying a lot steeper than you can afford stranger, trust me." The leader said, talking directly to Zuko.

"Those soldiers are supposed to protect us from the Fire Nation." The shopkeeper spoke up. "But they're just a bunch of thugs."

Nico was furious, how could a bunch of losers talk to her like that?

Nico went to climb on the ostrich horse, but the kid from earlier stopped her.

"Thanks for not rating me out."

Nico rolled her eyes at the boy and hopped on the ostrich with Zuko.

"I'll take you to my house and feed your ostrich horse for you." The boy continued. "Come on, I owe you." He said, grabbing the reins from Nico.

As they approached a large farm full of several kinds of hybrid pigs, that oink loudly as the three approach the house. The boy casually remarks that the noise is good because no one can ever sneak up on them.

As the boy goes to put the ostrich horse in the barn, a man came out the house and approaches, Zuko and Nico.

"You two a friend of Lee's?" He asked.

"These guys just stood up to the soldiers." Lee excitedly said. "By the end, they practically had them running away."

A woman exited the house. "Do these guys have a name?"

Nico was about to respond but the man interrupted her.

"They don't have to say who they are if they don't want to, Sela. Anyone who can hold their own against those bully soldiers are welcomed here. Those men should be ashamed to wear Earth Kingdom uniforms."

"The real soldiers are off fighting the war." Sela says. "Like Lee's big brother, Sen Su. Supper's going to be ready soon. Would you like to stay?"

"We would lo-"

"We can't." Zuko interrupts. "We should be moving on."

"Gansu could use some help on the barn. Why don't you two work for a while, and then we'll eat?" Sela said. "Your girlfriend can help me cook, if she'd like."